This is the greatest crisis in the history of the world, and attention
concentrates itself on the attitude of the greatest neutral State.
It is unthinkable that America can divest herself of responsibility for
the final outcome. This seems as clearly recognized in America as in
Europe.
To us in England this war is a life or death struggle between two
principles--Pan-Germanism on the one side, with its avowed purpose to
impose its hegemony and its rigid system of ideas and organization on
the rest of the world, not by consent, but by irresistible military
force; on the other side the claim of the other nations, large and
small, to maintain inviolate their freedom and individuality, and to
think and work out for themselves their own political and economic
future in their own way.
The one principle would seem the flat contradiction of all that America
stands for, the other principle would seem to be precisely the essential
idea of free self-government and democratic evolution, in which are
rooted the very life and being of America.
For this reason there is instinctive and profound sympathy on the part
of the great majority of native Americans with the cause of England and
her allies.
Pages:
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548